Lance Corporal Reginald Courtenay

Reginald Courtenay was born in Lodsworth but his family moved around the Tillington – Selham – Lodsworth area. Reginald enlisted early in the war and served firstly in the Royal Army Service Corps and then in the 33rd Battalion Machine Gun Corps. He was killed near Ypres, probably in the Battle of the Lys.

Family background

Reginald Courtenay was born in Lodsworth in 1894 and baptised on 11 November 1894 at St Peter’s church in Lodsworth. He was the son of Caleb Courtenay, a gardener originally from Tillington, and his wife Fanny née Devereux from Compton, Bedfordshire. They were then living in Well Cottage, Vicarage Lane, Lodsworth.

By 1901 the family was living in The Kennels, Tillington. In 1911 they were living at Sickleham, between Tillington and Selham, and Reginald was working as a carter on a farm. At the time he enlisted in 1915 he was a baker, living at Halfway Bridge, Lodsworth.

Military service

Reginald’s attestation papers show that he enlisted in Lodsworth on 9 December 1915. He served in the Royal Army Service Corps with service number S4/158390. Subsequently he was promoted to Lance Corporal 88669 in the 33rd Battalion Machine Gun Corps.

Death & commemoration

Reginald was killed in action near Ypres, Belgium on 17 April 1918 aged 24. This was probably during the Battle of the Lys. From 17 to 19 April the German Fourth Army attacked The Kemmelberg, a height commanding the area between Armentières and Ypres, but was repulsed by the British.

Reginald has no known grave and is commemorated on The Tyne Cot Memorial, south-west of Passchendaele, and on the Lodsworth war memorial.

Subsequent family history

Reginald’s younger brother James appears to have been just too young to have served in World War 1.

His mother Fanny probably died in 1952 aged 84 and his father Caleb in 1953 aged 85.

News

Click heading to see an analysis of the ages of the casualties, their family status, the forces in which they served, their ranks and the theatre of war and year in which they died.

Following consultation in Graffham and East Lavington, Penny Holland is researching the World War 1 casualties on the Graffham & East Lavington war memorial. Their stories are being added to this website as they are completed.

Iping & Chithurst and Stedham war memorials have recently been completed. Rogate should be completed shortly.

Commemorative events

Cocking

David Earley displayed the results of his extensive researches in an exhibition in Cocking Village Hall on 2/3 August. Photo by Jeffery Mableson

Lodsworth

A display in St Peter's church, Lodsworth was organised by Ian Buckingham for a commemorative event, with readings by Charles Dance, Geraldine James and Honeysuckle Weeks, and with Robert Vanryne on trumpet. The Book of Remembrance will remain permanently in the church.

Midhurst

Penny Holland, Sarah White, Pat and Roy Bryant compiled a Book of Remembrance for Midhurst Museum to include in its WW1 exhibition which was open throughout August.

Petworth

An exhibition in St Mary's Church, Petworth commemorated the casualties of World War 1. Medals, photos and other memorabilia were on display, along with stories of the 75 men of Petworth killed in the War. The research for these stories was by Kate and Nigel Flynn.

Rogate

Malcolm Hutchings has arranged for the village to commemorate those named on its war memorial by including their stories in the parish magazine on the 100th anniversary of each death.

Midhurst U3A WW1 War Memorial Project

The project

This is the website of a team from Midhurst U3A which is researching the family backgrounds, military service and deaths of the people who appear on local war memorials. We started with the parishes of Bepton, Cocking, Lodsworth, Midhurst, Petworth, Rogate and West Lavington, and have since added Elsted & Treyford, Graffham & East Lavington, Heyshott, Iping & Chithurst, Selham, Stedham and Trotton. The first phase of the project was completed in time for the centenary of the start of WW1, but our work continues!

Midhurst U3A

Midhurst U3A is one of over 900 U3As across the UK, each affiliated to the Third Age Trust. Our U3A exists for the benefit of those, no longer in full time employment, who wish to learn and keep active. Members share their knowledge and experience, and participate in a wide range of educational, creative and leisure activities.

Your historical records

Do you have historical material that might be of interest to our project? If so, please contact us so that we can discuss whether to add it to our archives and/or this website.

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There is a possibility that some of the photographs or other material in this community website are subject to copyright or are considered private. If this is so, please let us know and we will amend or remove the material.